About 1,500 members of Task Force Mapalad from 234 haciendas in Negros Occidental rallied yesterday at the Bacolod Public Plaza to call on President Benigno Aquino III to oust and replace Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes.

Rodito Angeles, chairman of the council of leaders of TFM-Negros, said owners of only 1,331 hectares of land in Negros Occidental were given certificates of land ownership awards this year out of the 32,000 hectares target.

He said the accomplishment rating of 4 percent by delos Reyes in Negros is degrading. He also said TFM-Negros has 13,000 hectares of land waiting for the issuance of the notice of coverage from DAR.

Angeles said they want Aquino to remove delos Reyes from his position because land reform programs are not properly implemented and farmers all over the country have become hopeless because the end of the extension Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with reform is nearing.

He also said that they have the commitment of Aquino that all areas covered under CARPer will receive notice of coverage by December but TFM members in Negros have not received any.

Lani Factor, TFM deputy coordinator, also said, they believe in the President but the DAR secretary is “lousy.” The completion will not materialize unless Aquino will replace delos Reyes as he is not fit to govern, she said.*LTG

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